Pump



Nav. 26, 1940. l 1 053mg 2,222,954

PUMP

Filed March 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR v c/OHN'e/eM/C Il: s. BY'

Nov. 26, 12940.

PUMP

Filed March 15, 1,938 2 'Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 26, 1940' PATENTF" 6 Claims.

This vinvention relates to pumps of the centrifugal type, and moreespecially to an improvement in centrifugal pumps whereby greaterpumping efciency and greater pumping pressure may be developed.

As is Well known by those skilled in the art, centrifugal pumps embody aseries of vanes, which as they rotate, project fluid from the spacesdened by the vanes outwardly from the said l0 spaces, because of thecentrifugal force developed by the rotation of the impeller of which thevanes are a part. In reality, the vanes of the centrifugal impellerreally throw the pumped fluid outwardly and keep it there by constantlybeating it,

l5 so that considerable friction is developed with resulting eddycurrents, keeping down of course, the efdciency of the pump, andlimiting the pressure head which it will develop.

Because-of this defect inherent in centrifugal pumps, it is generallynecessary where high lifts are required, to use several stages of pumps,and thus develop the necessary pressure and lift. Certain prior artconstructions have considered the possibility of limiting the openingthrough which the liquid escapes from each of thespaces dened by thevaries of the impeller. This naturally increases the velocity of theliquid leaving the impeller, and undoubtedlyincreases the pressure head.

The improvement which I have developed is best adapted foruse with acentrifugal impeller, in which the openings through which the liquidmust escape from the spaces between the vanes,

is restricted as just set forth, but it should be 85 understood that myinvention may be utilized with the usual type of centrifugal pump wellknown in the art, if that is desired.

Before describing my invention generally, and

then specically, I should like to indicate that I have not as yetdeveloped the entire theory on which my pump structure is based, myexperience with my improved pump being a practical one, ,and basedentirely on the building of structures embodying what I now believe tobe preferred 5 embodiments of my basic conception. I do not wish thisfact to limit the patent monopoly which I may be granted, sinceundoubtedly, my basic conception may be embodied in various pumpstructures by those highly skilled in this art.

My centrifugal pump embodies conning means spaced between the impellerand the discharge side of the pump, which I shall term pressure,

chamber in this specification, these confining means havingports whichalternately shut ol the l flow from the spaces between the impellervanes,

(Cl. ID3- 103) and then allow` the flow of liquid from the said spacesto the pressure chamber. Because of this arrangement, the fluid in eachof the spaces defined by the vanes of the impeller is released foroutward movement at periodic spaced points in 5 the rotation of theimpeller, so that the centrifugal pressure is allowed to build up andthen to be suddenly released, thereby giving the action which I so muchdesire to obtain.

As a preferred embodiment of my invention, I 10 use an impeller formedby a circular plate having a. rim and a series of varies extending fromthe plate and terminating in the rim. In one modification of theinvention, it is the plate portion of the impeller which has openingsthrough 15 which the uid escapes from the spaces between the vanes intothe pressure chamber. A valve plate is interposed between the plate ofthe impeller and the pressure chamber, and functions as the conningmeans to which I haveV alluded 20 above. This valve plate has a seriesof ports which alternately allow ow from the impeller and shut off theflow from the impeller to the pressure chamber.

In a second modication, the openings 'are 25 formed in the rim portionof my impeller, and a circular sleevelike member having ports, controlsthe flow from the impeller to the pressure chamber, in the same manneras the valve plate above described. It should be made quite clear atthis 30 point, that the circular rim and the circular plate mayconceivably be formed separate from the vanes of the impeller and act aspart of the conning means without being integral with the vanes of theimpeller. A11 this is a natural de- 35 velopment which may follow mybasic disclosure and concept.

I shall now refer to the drawings in which two preferred modificationsof my invention are shown. Fig. 1 is a section taken along lines I-I 40of Fig. 2, while Fig. 2 is taken along lines 2--2 of Fig, 1, Figs. 1 and2 showing one form of my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 show a second form ofmy invention, Fig. 3 being taken along lines'3-3 of Fig. 4, while Fig. 4is taken along lines 4-4 of 45 Fig. 3.

--Referring now more particularly to the drawings and especially Figs. 1and 2, the intake pipe of my pump is designated by reference numeral I0,a ball check Il being placed to restrict an 50 opening l2 in a controlsleeve I3, the purpose being to maintain uid in the pump structure so asto keep the pump primed. It is obvious that the ball Il will lift to apointlimited by a pin I4 as the pump operates, the stoppage of the pumpallowing the ball to drop and shut off the downward flow of uid.

The intake pipe III is screw threaded into a lower housing plate I5,relatively to which rotates the impeller I6 which has a series of vanesI1 extending from an integral plate portion I8. The vanes terminate in arim I 9, as is clearly shown in the drawings, and to this rim I9,through screws 20, there is secured a plate 2I. 'Ihis plate 2| has acentral opening 22 through which the fluid ows into the various spaces23 defined by -the`vanes I1, the uid being projected from the saidspaces by the centrifugal force developed as the impeller I6 rotates. Itis conceivable, of course, that the plate 2|, like many of the otherparts that I have described and shall describe, may be eliminatedwithout affecting very much the operation of my pump. It is onlypossible to determine empirically whether certain of my parts .areabsolutely essential, or may be modified or eliminated without affectingthe basic operation of my pump.

In the modification of Figs. 1 and 2, an opening 24 is formed leadingfrom each of the spaces 23 through part ofthe rim I9, and then throughthe plate I8, terminating on the upper surface 25 of the said plate. Acentral 'shaft 26 is screw threaded at 21 to a central lug 28 of theimpeller, and acts to rotate the impeller through this'connection. Theshaft 26 passes at 29 through a valve plate 30 which is secured by bolts3| to the bottom housing plate I5. A stuffing box construction isdenoted in general by reference numeral 32, .and acts to prevent leakageof any fluid from the pump along the bearing of the shaft 26.

The valve plate 30 has a series of openings or ports 33 preferablyshaped as is shown in Fig. 2,

these ports lying in position to communicate with the openings 24leading from each of the spaces 23 defined by the vanes I1. It is quiteobvious that rotation of the impeller will force fluid through theopenings 24 and through the ports 33 into the pressure chamber, to bedescribed presently. It is quite obvious, furthermore, that during partof the rotation of the impeller, some of the openings 24 will be underthe solid portion of the valve plate 30, so that no fluid may flow atthat time from the said spaces 23, which are then shut off.

During such time, the pressure will be built up in the shut off spaces23 toapproach the maximum, so that the fluid will flow outwardly ndersaid pressure through the openings 24 when the saidopenings come intocommunication with the ports 33. In the preferred embodiment of myinvention, three of the spaces 23v will be shut off against the flow ofliquid therefrom, While three are in communication through the ports 33with the pressure chamber. In view of what I have indicated generallyabove, and in view of the specic explanation just set forth, the actionof the pump will now appear quite obvious to those skilled in the art. y

The pressure chamber of my pump is defined by a casting 35 securedthrough stud bolts '35a to the rim portion 30a of the valve plate 30.The fluid will flow from the pressure chamber 36 defined by the casting35 into the outlet pipe 31, all as is quite clearly shown.

I shall now describe a second form of my invention in which the impellerconstruction is the same as that of Figs. 1 and 2, except that foropenings 24 leading from the 'spaces 23 of the impeller, I substituteopenings 24a. which extend through the rim I9 of the impeller, all as isquite clearly shown. Instead of a valve plate such as the valve plate 30of Figs. 1 and 2, I uotilize a sleevelike valve 40 secured by stud bolts4I to the base plate I5, and having ports 42 therein which functionexactly as do the ports 33 of the valve plate in Figs. 1 and 2.

Instead of the casting 35 of Figs. 1 and 2 used to define the pressurechamber there, I use a casting 43 into which the fiuid will flow throughthe openings 24a and ports 42, and into the outlet pipe 31, all as isquite clear.

I now claim:

1. In a combination of the class described, an impeller of thecentrifugal type having a series of vanes defining a series of separatecompartments, relatively small discharge openings formed in the impellerand leading to each of said compartments, a pressure chamber into whichthe fluid carried between the vanes of said impeller is dischargedthrough said openings, and means whereby the fluid in each of thecompartments is placed into communication with said pressure chamber atleast twice during each revolution of the impeller and each time duringa substantial portion of each revolution of said impeller while placingsaid spaces out of communication during the remaining portion of eachrevolution.

2. In a combination of the class described, an impeller of thecentrifugal type having a series of vanes defining a series of separatecompartments, relatively small discharge openings formed in the impellerand leading to each of said compartments, a pressure chamber into whichthe fluid carried in said impeller compartments is discharged, at leasttwo ports functionally interposed between the said impeller compartmentsand the said pressure chamber, said ports being of such size and sopositioned as to place the fluid carried in the said compartments intocommunication with said pressure chamber during a substantial portion ofeach revolution of said impeller while placing said compartments out ofcommunication during the remaining portion of each revolution.

3. In a pump of the class described, an impeller of the centrifugal typehaving a series of vanes projecting from a circular plate, a rimprojecting from said plate and into which said vanes extend whereby eachpair of vanes define with said rim and plate a compartment in whichfluid is moved as said impeller rotates, a pressure chamber, a portionof one of the surfaces defining ,each of said compartments having arelatively small opening through which fluid may be forced out of saidcompartments by centrifugal force and into said pressure chamber, atleast two ports functionally interposed between said openings and saidpressure chamber, sai`d ports being of such size and so positioned as toplace the fluid carried in the compartments into communication with saidpressure chamber during a substantial portion of each revolution of saidimpeller while placing said compartments out of communication during theremaining portion of each revolution.

4. In a pump of the class described, an impeller of the centrifugal typehaving a series of vanes projecting from a circular plate, a rimprojecting from said plate and into which said vanes extend whereby eachpair of vanes define with said rim and plate a compartment in whichfiuid is moved as said impeller rotates, a pressure chamber, a portionof one of the surfaces deflning each of said compartments having arelatively small opening through which uid may be forced out of saidcompartments by centrifugal force and into said pressure chamber, aseries of 'ports functionally interposed between said openings and saidpressure chamber, said ports placing the said openings alternately intoand out of communication with said pressure chamber several times duringeach revolution as said impeller rotates.

5. In a pump Iof the class described, an impeller of the centrifugaltype having a series of vanes projecting from a circular plate, a rimprojecting from said plate and into which said vanes extend whereby eachpair of vanes define with said rim and plate a compartment in which uidis moved as said impeller rotates, a pressure chamber, the plate portionof each of said compartments having a relatively small opening throughwhich fluid may be forced out of said compartments by centrifugal forceand into said pressure chamber, a valve plate relatively to which saidimpeller plate rotates and functionally interposed between said openingsand said pressure chamber, said valve plate having a series of ports incommunication with each of said openings several times in eachrevolution and during a substantial portion of each revolution of saidimpeller, whereby uid will be placed under centrifugal pressure in eachof said compartments during rotation of said impeller and will be forcedperiodically by said centrifugal pressure from said compartments throughsaid openings and said ports into said pressure chamber.

6. In a pump of the class described, an impeller of the centrifugal typehaving a series of vanes projecting from a circular plate, confiningmeans preventing the outward iiow of fluid by centrifugal pressure fromthe spaces between said vanes, transverse openings in said plate in eachof ythe spaces outlined by said vanes through which the iiuid is forcedoutwardly by said impeller as said impeller rotates, a valve platejuxtaposed to said impeller plate and having a series of elongated slotsacting as ports and relatively to which the openings of said impellerplate move during the rotation of said impeller, whereby when saidopenings are opposite the solid part of said valve plate the flow of uidfrom said impeller spaces is shut off, while when the 'said openings areopposite said elongated slots the fluid will flow from said impellerspaces, said elongated slots being arranged so that certain of theopenings are opposite elongated slots when others of the openings areopposite solid portions of the valve plate, each of said openingscommunicating with all of said slots during each revolution of theimpeller.

JOHN OGRINC.

